Cowards!

Yesterday our fearless leaders in congress demonstrated why they are the most ineffective and reviled bunch of elected officials in American history.

In a rare bi-partisan effort congress passed a short term funding bill to keep the federal government running. In a demonstration of extreme hypocrisy and cowardice they buried in the funding bill a resolution to support the president’s request to arm and train the Syrian rebels in the fight against ISIS.

The intent of the subterfuge was to enable members to avoid going on the record with stand alone yes or no vote on the president’s plan to arm the Syrian rebels. The talking points argument to constituents would go something like this: “I had to vote to keep the government open and the essential services running. The authorization for arming the rebels was in the funding bill. I had no choice.”

It’s as if they think we’re stupid.

Keep in mind that this is the same spineless bunch that recently announced that they were postponing an up or down vote to go to war in Syria until after the elections.

Equally disturbing is the statement released by congress immediately after the vote.
In a display of tone deaf self interest…congress announced that effective immediately they were cancelling all previously scheduled days in session for September and October…and that they would not return to Washington until the week after the elections.

Over the past six years members of congress on both sides of the aisle have labeled this president an imperialist and ripped him for abusing his executive powers and savaging the constitution. Now, when the country is in a war footing…when 1600 American men and women have been sent to the region to fight what congress calls “a real threat to our national security…when 160 air strikes have already been conducted against that enemy and an unlimited number more are on the horizon…when the country is considering expanding the fight into yet another country...now when the most important decision that a congress can make needs to be made…this congress turns its back and slinks out of town…giving tacit approval to the “imperial” president to go it alone.

I fear that we are on a path to making the same mistakes that we have made in the past. I fear that we are underestimating the resolve of the enemy just as we underestimated the resolve of the Viet Cong al Qaeda, and the Taliban. I fear that we are underestimating the resolve of the Iraqi army and the Syrian rebels just as we did the South Vietnamese Army and mujahedeen. I fear that we are on a path of escalation that history tells us will lead to another protracted and unwinnable war. If ever there was need for a meaningful debate that time is now. Yet our elected leaders are nowhere to be found.

I for one, do not want to hear another member of congress voice objection over the president’ use of his executive powers.

In my mind this latest act of self interest and cowardice has forfeited them that right.